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Timeline of United States Army Uniforms
Uniform Coat 18 June 1780 : Major General Official Uniform / Blue coat (buff facings and linings) with yellow buttons; buff waistcoat; two epaulettes; with black and white feather on hat. Coatee Uniform Jacket 00.00.1827: Collar closed up the front. Sack coat Cadet Uniform (1814 - present) 05.02.1814: Blue issued. 09.04.1816: Gray re-issued. Frock Coat (1829 - 1902) 05.25.1929: Authorized. 00.00.1832: Button arrangement by branch. 00.00.1847: Double-Breasted for Field Grade. 00.00.1851: New design. 00.00.1872: New design. 00.00.1879: Sleeve Slashes removed. 00.00.1902: Withdrawn. Sack Coat (???? - ????) 00.00.1895: Frogging removed. 00.00.1902: Designated as “Undress” Khaki Cotton Service Uniform (1898 - 1914) 00.00.1898: Introduced. Army White Uniform (1902 - 2014) 00.00.1902: Introduced (as “White Service Uniform”). 00.00.1936: Standing collar replaced with open collar. 00.00.1938: new pattern introduced. 05.21.1957: DA strongly encourages all officers to obtain the White Service Uniform past this date. 00.00.1959: Re-designated as “Army White Uniform“. Blue Full Dress Uniform (1902 - 1917) 00.00.1902: Introduced with shoulder knots. (10 buttons = Generals; 9 buttons = Lieutenant Generals; 8 buttons = Major Generals; 6 buttons = Brigadier generals) 00.00.1917: Suspended. 00.00.1928: Re-introduced with shoulder knots. Blue Mess Uniform (1902 - present) 00.00.1902: Introduced. 00.00.1917: Suspended. 00.00.1921: Re-introduced 00.00.1946: Re-introduced White Mess Uniform (1902 - present) 00.00.1902: Introduced. 00.00.1917: Suspended. 00.00.1921: Re-introduced. 00.00.1939: Suspended. 00.00.1946: Re-introduced. Olive Drab Service Uniform (1902 - 1956) 00.00.1902 : Introduced. 07.01.1903 : Officers required to wear as service uniform. 00.00.1904 : Enlisted personnel begin receiving olive drab coats. 00.00.1905 : Black coat cuff braid worn 3 inches above the sleeve end adopted for General Staff Corps members. 00.00.1907 : Olive drab coat cuff braid worn 3 inches above the sleeve end adopted for commissioned officers. 08.00.1911 : Change to the full-standing collar. 00.00.1917 : Overseas cap replaced the Campaign Hat. 00.00.1918 : Sam Browne Belt adopted for service overseas. 07.15.1921 : Sam Browne Belt mandatory wear for all commissioned officers. 12.31.1926 : full-standing collar replaced by lapels and bottom coat pockets removed; Phasing out period for the standing collar begins. 12.31.1927 : Phasing out period officially ends. 1938 : Olive drab service trousers introduced. Elastique Service breeches withdrawn from wear (exception included Cavalry and Armor officers). 1939 : Specifications changed. 1942 : Specifications changed. 00.00.1942 : Sam Browne belt withdrawn from wear. 00.00.1957 : restricted to off-duty wear. 07.01.1957 : Phasing out period begins; removed from wear for commissioned and warrant officers. 02.01.1958 : not permitted for wear by Regular Army. 10.01.1959 : not permitted for wear by Reserve and National Guard. 10.01.1960 : Withdrawn from wear. (along with garrison and service caps) 01.11.1961 : Deleted from uniform regulations. Army Blue Uniform (1939 - 2007) 00.00.1939: Introduced. 00.00.1940: Non-Mandatory Purchase. 04.11.1951: Re-introduced for “Winter wear.” 09.28.1959: Designated as ‘proper dress uniform’ and changed from “Winter wear” to “year-round wear.” 02.18.1963: Mandatory purchase. Dark Olive Drab Uniform (1942-) Army Tan Uniform (1942 - 1968) 1941 : Introduced as "Khaki Summer Uniform" 12 Nov 1942 : Specifications introduced for the "Tropical Worsted Khaki Service Uniform" in Tan shade 51. (pattern 1942) 21 Dec 1942 : Specifications introduced for the "Tropical Worsted Service Cap" 03 Mar 1945 : Specifications changed for the "Tropical Worsted Service Uniform". (pattern 1945) 1952 : Specifications changed for the "Tropical Worsted Service Uniform". (pattern 1952) 28 Sep 1959 : Name re-designated as "Army Tan Uniform." (patterned after 1938 white service uniform) in Tan shade 61. 03 Oct 1965 : Department of the Army announces pending obsolescence. 31 Dec 1968 : Withdrawn from wear. M1944 Field Wool "Ike" Jacket Drab (194? - 1956) 11.00.1944: Standard Issue. 00.00.1956: Withdrawn. Army Green Uniform (1954 - 2011) 09.02.1954: Introduced (as “Army Winter Green Uniform”). 05.01.1957: Army green service cap & garrison cap mandatory issue (for officers). 07.01.1957: Army green uniform becomes the only authorized winter service uniform 10.01.1958: Mandatory for enlisted personnel. 1960 : mandatory winter service uniform. 09.00.1961: Mandatory purchase. 1964 : mandatory summer service uniform. *{shade 44} Headwear Tricorne - 1775-late 1790s Shako - early 1800s-early 1850s M1825 forage cap - 1825-1833 M1833 forage cap - 1833-1858 Forage cap - 1858- Bicorne - early 1800s-early 1900s Hardee Hat (GO#3, 24 March 1858)-1858-? M1902 service cap M1911 Campaign hat M1912 service cap misc 1902 overcoat - worn with a small 1 1/4 inch black band above a 2 1/2 inch black band on bottom on sleeve for general officers. Starting in 1912, general officer insignia were worn between the bands; after 1926, the rank insignia was moved to the epaulets.